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Awards

For the very first time since visiting Paris for over 20 years, I explored the city’s three Chinese neighbourhoods: the Triangle de Choisy in the 13th arrondissement, Bellevill﻿e and the Arts et Metiers quarter.

​Instead of the nouveau riche Chinese tourists so often featured in the news these days, I wanted to meet the ethnic Chinese Parisians and capture a glimpse of their lives. As a fellow overseas Chinese from Singapore, I felt easily accepted by the community. For these children playing after school, French was the only common language, which was the case for many of the Chinese immigrants originating mainly from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Wenzhou and Guangzhou in China.

​By the early afternoon of January 19, thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox locals started making their way to the large open grounds of Jan Meda in Addis Ababa to celebrate their most important festival of the year, Timkat.

As part of this colourful three-day celebration of Epiphany or the Baptism of Christ, white tents were pitched around the grounds to house the 'Tabot's, a symbol of the Ark of Covenant, and families prepared to stay overnight to witness the festivities that continue well into the next day.

To keep the crowds entertained, there were vendors selling candles and food, lively carnival type games and vibrant processions and performances by various churches.

While walking around and taking in this feast for the senses, I came across this statuesque Ethiopian beauty standing by a white tent apart from the masses and captured her squinting slightly at the African sun that was just starting to set.

The majority of these projects were selected for publication from a series of public pitches organised by PLATFORM from June 2014 to November 2015. The invited jurors comprised photographers, artists, curators, designers and writers.Apart from the pitches, a few photographers were invited by PLATFORM.

Thank you, Mr Lee, 2015

​Thank You, Mr LeeAn initiative by Platform and published by Basheer, The 96-page book contains works by 20 amateur and professional photographers taken during the national week of mourning after the passing of Lee Kuan Yew, founder and first Prime Minister of Singapore.

Exhibitions

Singapore, 2015

The National Museum of Singapore​23 March till 2 October 2016​A Moment of Unity​​​The National Museum of Singapore presents a video installation, A Moment of Unity, by local filmmaker Royston Tan, one year after the passing of Singapore’s first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew.